Xu Zhi was dazed in the river water, drifting with the current, just like in a dream, and heard countless voices calling softly to himself, some familiar and some unfamiliar, with the soft call of his parents, and the gentle singing of Su Ying...... , Gradually Xu Zhi lost consciousness, and when he opened his eyes again, he found himself lying on a monk's bed, covered with a thick quilt, and the sound of bell chime and wooden fish was constantly heard in the distance, and a beautiful girl with big eyes was holding a decoction, looking at herself anxiously. That girl was the barefoot girl I saw picking water lotus root by the Beigushan River. When the maiden saw that she had woken up, she cried out for joy:

"Grandpa and the abbot come on, thank goodness he has finally woken up after a day in a coma. ”

A white-haired old man and the best abbot of Jinshan Temple came when they heard the sound. The best abbot was kind and kind-eyed, holding a Buddha bead, and chanted: "Amitabha, good, good." ", and then said: "Little donor, this time thanks to Uncle Gao and Xiaohui, you have only picked up a life." ”

Gao Xiaohui helped his grandfather and asked him to sit down on the edge of the bed, and then asked softly, "Who did you offend to beat you like this?"

Xu Zhi suddenly felt anxious and depressed, and couldn't say a word, just cried silently, and replied after a long time: "Thank you, Abbot, Grandpa Gao, and Miss Gao for saving your life!", after speaking, he was about to get up and bow to everyone, but his whole body was sore, and he didn't need any strength.

Grandpa Gao hurriedly stopped him with his hand and comforted: "You can recuperate in Jinshan Temple with peace of mind, you young people are strong and strong, and you will be able to recover in a hundred days." ”

Gao Xiaohui suddenly pouted and asked, "By the way, we still don't know what your name is, where are you from, and why are you being beaten like this?"

Seeing Xiaohui's anxious appearance, Xu Zhi had no choice but to tell everyone about his life experience and experience, and everyone cried with him, lamenting the darkness of the world, the corruption of the court, and the rampant officials.

Everyone was talking, and suddenly saw a little monk with a nervous expression of cultivation breaking in, and said: "Abbot, the big thing is not good, now Wu Tingshi has posted notices everywhere in Runzhou City, saying that Xu ...... killed someone, and the whole city will offer a reward for him to be wanted!", after speaking, he looked at the abbot, then looked at Xu Zhi who was lying down, and continued: "If there is anyone who does not report it, he will be guilty of the same crime as Xu." ”

The abbot pondered for a moment and comforted: "Lord Xu, you can rest assured to recuperate, don't worry about other things, think about our Jinshan Temple is a big temple built by the imperial court, since the emperor Taizong of this dynasty, there has been a Sanzang master who went to the west to learn scriptures in two hundred years, and has been regarded as the authentic Zen religion in the south over the years, without the will of the imperial court, the local should not disturb the purity of the temple." ”

Grandpa Gao and Xiaohui listened to the abbot's words, and they both breathed a sigh of relief: "Amitabha, I hope he can escape this catastrophe." ”

For the sake of safety, the abbot discussed with the two and decided to place Xu Zhi in the most hidden white snake cave in Jinshan Temple to recuperate, Jinshan Temple is famous all over the world because of the story of "The Legend of the White Snake", in fact, there is such a legend in the Tang Dynasty. Legend has it that the White Lady in order to meet with Xu Xian of Hangzhou, the White Snake Cave where she lives extends from the Zhenjiang Jinshan Temple on the Yangtze River to the West Lake of Hangzhou on the Qiantang River, so the White Snake Cave should be the deepest and most hidden place in the Jinshan Temple, in addition, there is a white snake of one foot and eight feet in front of the hole all the year round, and people dare not approach easily, but there is a secret road behind the mountain.

In order to let fewer monks know about this and cause trouble, the abbot only arranged for the disciple around him to lead the practice, named Huifeng, who was responsible for Xu Zhi's diet and daily life, while Xiaohui was responsible for the purchase of medicinal materials for healing.

In the blink of an eye, more than three months, as the saying goes: "A hundred days to hurt the muscles and bones", seeing that Xu Zhi's external injury is almost healed, but he still can't walk independently, he only feels that his limbs are sore, he can't lift his strength, and even eating with chopsticks is very difficult. Hui Feng and Xu Zhi are of the same age, and they get along intimately for a few days, just like brothers. Seeing that Xu Zhi's internal injuries could not be recovered, Hui Feng was very worried when he saw it, and he was afraid of saying too much, which chilled Xu Zhi's heart, so he just blindly persuaded him: "In a few more days, it will be healed, and Brother Xu doesn't have to worry too much." ”

As long as Gao Xiaohui is free, she will come to visit Xu Zhi, and often bring some Jiang Xian and wild meat to Xu and Hui to make tooth sacrifices. Once Xiaohui saw Xu Zhi tossing and turning in bed, and comforted emotionally: "Brother Xu's righteousness is thin and cloudy, and he will eliminate harm for the people, and Jiren has his own natural appearance, and he will get better soon, even if there is a case, the little sister will also take care of the eldest brother for a lifetime." Xu Zhi looked at Xiaohui several times and secretly turned his head to cry, and he also knew that his body was afraid that he would not be able to get better for a lifetime, so he couldn't help but complain and sigh, and he didn't think about tea and dinner, and he became more and more thin.

He carefully examined Xu Zhi's body, especially the limbs and bones, as well as the seven muscles and eight veins of the whole body, he found that the joints and tendons in Xu Zhi's body were all damaged, and he sighed secretly: Only with the help of the ancient home remedies of acupuncture and moxibustion, there may be a glimmer of hope, I am afraid that Xu Zhi's generation will not be able to recover as before.

Recently, while giving Xu Zhi acupuncture treatment, Abbot Zhishan also taught him some introductory knowledge of medicine and Buddhism, hoping that Xu Zhi could have strong faith, rest his body and mind, and wait for miracles to appear.

The words are divided into two ends, and then Wu Tingshi and Yun Feiyang secretly searched for the whereabouts of the remnants of the secret scroll in Runzhou, they first visited the famous mountains and rivers in Runzhou, places of interest and historic sites, starting from the Maoshan Ziyang Taoist Temple at the junction of Jurong County and Jintan County, to the ancient sage Jizi Temple in Danyang County, the Maixi River of Sun Quan's garrison, all the way to the north, through the stone carvings of the Southern Dynasty of the Xiaoliang River, and then to the mountain of Dantu County, all the way around, tossing for several months, but found nothing.

Yun Feiyang was inevitably angry in the face of the fatigue of the carriage and horses all the way, and often criticized Wu Tingshi's efficiency and style, and Wu Tingshi also sprinkled his stomach sullen on the servants who were unfavorable.

Just when the two adults were depressed, a servant offered advice: "Why don't the adults remember that the Bodhisattva of Maoshan is far away and not close", "There is also an allusion to 'black under the lamp'", Wu Tingshi interrupted: "Bastard thing!

Only then did the official explain: "We have almost searched all the counties under the jurisdiction of Runzhou, but the Jinshan Temple in Runzhou City, although we accompanied Gonggong Li last time, we have never searched carefully, isn't this dark under the lights?"

Wu Dadao: "I'm afraid this is more troublesome, because Jinshan Temple is the imperial seal of the first emperor, and I am afraid that I will have to ask for another holy decree if I want to search the temple." ”

The official flattered and said: "Now that Lord Yun is acting on behalf of the imperial court, can't he still represent the emperor? As long as Lord Yun opens Chrysostom, we can do things cheaply, and we are afraid that the group of bald donkeys in Jinshan Temple will not succeed?"

Wu Tingshi glanced at Yun Feiyang, saw that he was speechless, knew that he acquiesced, and said, "Lord Yun, you can only do this!"

After a few days, Wu Tingshi and Yun Feiyang led a group of officers and soldiers to break into Jinshan Temple, and explained to the abbot the meaning of the temple.

The group of officers and soldiers are like bandits down the mountain, see the Buddha statue vessels, can smash the smash, can rob the robbing, see the valuable gold, silver and jade all in the pocket, for a time the Jinshan Temple turned upside down, even those scriptures and Buddhism did not let go, I don't know who accidentally knocked over the seven treasures glass lamp, the temple backyard was on fire, suddenly thick smoke rose everywhere, the fire was raging, the best abbot hurriedly ordered the disciples to carry water to extinguish the fire, for a time the Jinshan Temple was full of people, the Buddha door was pure without a moment of purity.

That day, Xu Zhi was reading attentively in the cave, when he heard the shouting outside, and the footsteps were getting closer and closer, he listened carefully and heard a soldier shouting:

"Look, there's a deep cave here!"

Another shouted: "Let's go down and take a look, I'm afraid that I have hidden gold and silver, and Lao Tzu is going to make a fortune today!"

Then a sound of footsteps approached, and just when Xu Zhi was helpless, he suddenly heard: "Ah, my mother, something, scared to death!"

Another shouted, "Get out of the way, everyone, it's a white snake." “

"What is a snake, is the snake so big, I'm afraid it's a dragon, right?"

"By the way, the dragon is a sacred object, and blaspheming the gods is to bring retribution, everyone quickly kneel down and accompany the dragon!"

The soldiers then prayed in unison: "Boys, you are ignorant, and you have entered your mansion by mistake, and I hope that the dragon will forgive and spare your life, forgive and spare your life!"

Then there was another flurry of footsteps, which faded away.

Wu Tingshi and Yun Feiyang tossed around in Jinshan Temple for a day, still found nothing, the two left scolding, leaving behind the ruins of the Jinshan Ancient Temple, crying in the cold wind.

The abbot and other officers and soldiers walked away, and hurriedly ordered the monks to clean the temple Buddha statues, sort out the Buddhist scriptures and ancient scrolls, and the whole temple was busy for nearly a day. Zhishan secretly came to the White Snake Cave from the secret passage at night, found Xu Zhi and Huifeng, and said to them: "You also know, the government is looking for Xu Zhi, you two can no longer stay in Jinshan Temple, this Jinshan Temple may no longer be clean and peaceful!", and then sighed extremely desolately, it is really "black clouds crush the city and want to destroy, and the mountain rain is about to come and the wind is full of buildings".

"You have to leave Runzhou as soon as possible, I have a senior brother named Zhicheng, and now he is a monk in Shaolin Temple in Songshan, Henan Province as an abbot, you go to Shaolin to join him." ”

"I also thought about it for a long time, Xu Zhi's internal injuries are too serious, and ordinary medicinal stones are probably powerless, Shaolin Temple's "Yijin Sutra" and "Washing the Marrow Sutra" may be able to help Xu Zhi open up the meridians and completely cure his internal injuries. "

Zhishan continued: "Xu Zhi's hands and feet are inconvenient along the way, Huifeng, you have to take good care of him, you had better take the waterway, go up the river, reach Ezhou, and then go north along the Han River, although it takes some time, it is more convenient." However, there is a nest of officials and bandits along the way, so you should be extra careful. ”

Xu Zhi and Huifeng nodded at the same time and called "Master", revealing deep reluctance in their tones.

"You guys leave early tomorrow morning on a passing boat, Xiaohui and I will send you off early tomorrow morning, and rest early tonight!"

The next day, as soon as the sky was bright, Elder Zhishan and Xiaohui were already waiting by the river, Huifeng helped Xu Zhi, who was inconvenient to walk, and walked towards the dock with difficulty, Xiaohui saw the two of them from a distance, greeted them, quickly grabbed Xu Zhi's arm, and said: "Senior Brother Huifeng, you have worked hard, let me also help Brother Xu!", Huifeng looked very dazed, looked at Xu Zhi, and then looked at the skinny Xiaohui, hesitated for a while but agreed. Xiaohui struggled to support Xu Zhi, and with every step, she said softly: "Big brother, be careful!" Xu Zhi looked at the beautiful and sweet girl in front of him, couldn't help but burst into tears, and replied affectionately: "Sister Xiaohui, don't worry!"

"Big brother has a good trip, you have to think about us all the time outside!", before leaving, Xiaohui suddenly touched her eyes with her hand, as if not letting tears wells up.

Xu Zhi and Huifeng boarded the boat heading west, slowly sailed away from Runzhou, looking at Xiaohui waving goodbye, Jinshan Temple, which was getting smaller and smaller, and Runzhou City, which was getting farther and farther away, Xu Zhi clenched Huifeng's hands and couldn't help but burst into tears.